Tamil civil society urges Pope to call for de-militarisation of Tamil homeland

Military in Jaffna

The Tamil Civil Society Forum has handed over an appeal to Pope Francis on Sunday through Vatican's diplomatic representative to the island, urging the Pope to openly call upon Colmbo Government to stop militarising and colonizing Tamil lands, to restore the troop presence in the North and East to pre-war levels, end violence against women, honestly address the problems of the disappeared and the abducted including Rev. Fathers T. N. Jim Brown and G. A. Frances Joseph, accelerate the process by which surrendered detainees and all those who are in in communicado detention are released and allow people to remember the dead.

Lanka accuses US, UK of LTTE links

Minster Pavitra with Prez MR

The Government claims the United States and British Governments are influenced by the votes they receive from LTTE supporters in their respective countries. Power and Energy Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, speaking at an event today, claimed that US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron had secured votes from LTTE supporters to come to power. She claimed that now Obama and Cameron are working according to the agenda of the LTTE supporters against the Sri Lankan Government.

Sri Lanka: Journalists threatened whilst documenting appropriation of Tamil land

Journalists who went to report on the preemptive surveying of private Tamil land that was in a land appropriation dispute in court, were threatened by the Sri Lankan navy on Friday. Threats were made to the journalists as they attempted to photograph and document the Sri Lankan navy surveying private Tamil land that the government was in the process of appropriating, reports Uthayan. "This is our region, you cannot take photographs within this," warned navy personnel, whilst taking photographs of the journalists

TG

Sri Lanka: Unidentified motorcyclists follow Bar Association President's vehicle

President of the Sri Lanka Bar Association Upul Jayasuriya has lodged a complain at the cinnamon garden police saying a group of unindentified people who came in two motorcycles and a three wheeler followed his vehicle today. Jayasuriya has told the Cinnamon Garden police that the incident posed a threat to his personal security. A spokesperson from the police department told Asian Mirror that they were investigating into the incident.

Sri Lanka's Downward Spiral; It has ramifications that extend well beyond a small island nation

The U.S. Congressional Caucus on Ethnic and Religious Freedom in Sri Lanka held a hearing on July 9 in Washington, D.C. The caucus, created in 2013, is co-chaired by Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) and Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio). It remains to be seen how effective this newly created group will be but -- given the recent developments in Sri Lanka -- there is no question that there was plenty to discuss at the gathering.

Aside from the persistent ethnic and religious violence that plagues the country, the war-torn island nation is still grappling with a bunch of problems as it struggles to make the transition from a postwar country to a post-conflict one.

The appointment of Major General (Rtd) as Governor NP is a continuation of mlitary rule

G. A. Chandrasiri

‘Lawyers for Democracy’ is dismayed at the appointment of Major General (Rtd) G. A. Chandrasiri as the Governor of the Northern Province disregarding repeated calls by the Chief Minister of the Northern Province Dr. C. V. Vigneshwaran and the TNA to appoint a non military person as the Governor.  The appointment of Major General (Rtd) G. A. Chandrasiri who functioned as the Security Forces Commander of the Peninsula is in the eyes of the people a continuation of the military rule from which the people yean for a change.

Sri Lanka: The Ministry of Defence should not have any power over the functioning of any civil society organisations

SRI LANKA: AHRC’s position on the proposed law for NGO registration under the Ministry of Defence

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to clarify its position regarding the controversy about the government’s proposal for a law to force the registration of non-governmental organisations with a National Secretariat functioning under the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence and Urban Development.

An eye witness account of anti Muslim violence in Aluthgama by a member of Parliament

Burned ( Dinouk Kolambage)

''I witnessed what happened. After the procession when the rioting began I called the police stations that administer the areas. When I called the Matugama police station, they told me that the OIC was not in. The Welipanna police told me that they had only one vehicle and didn’t have personnel.
 Other police stations were silent. When all this happened the police were made to act deaf and blind. The Police have consistently acted deaf and blind to the actions of Gnanasara Thera leading up to this violence'' -  UNP MP PalithaThewarapperum

Sri Lanka: The art of mishandling policy; From Aluthgama, to asylum seekers, NGOs, the Govt. wallows in (negative) publicity

President in trouble ( AFP)

Ranga Jayasuriya
There is something strange in this government. It is wallowing in negative publicity. The sequence of events during the last couple of weeks has given it a steady supply of negative publicity which would prop up its already grim reputation. First, it lets loose a motley group of Sinhala Buddhist ultra nationalist groups such as Bodu Bala Sena, Sinhala Ravaya, Ravana Balaya and so on. Then, the marauding mobs and youth instigated by hate filled sermons, went on rampage in Aluthgama, triggering a sectarian confrontation – the first major clash between the Sinhalese and Muslims since 1915.

Ramaphosa returns home form Sri Lanka mission disappointed?

The South African Peace Envoy and that country's Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa, who was here on the much publicized visit, returned home after talks with the government authorities and the TNA leaders. According to some political observers Ramaphosa who came with full of hope over his country's peace initiative left this country disappointed and disillusioned.

Sri Lanka Police (TID) runs its own 'Disappearances Inquary' despite the Presidential Commission

TID probing disappearances a coincidence
Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said several people from the North and the Tamil media have claimed that the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) had been holding inquiries into missing persons at the same time as the Presidential Commission to Investigate Disappearances was sitting in Mullaitivu last week. This was a co-incidence as the TID did not know the Presidential Commission was sitting there at that time, he said.  Several Tamil newspapers highlighted the alleged inquiry on missing persons being held by the TID when the Presidential Commission was holding inquiries in close proximity to the TID office and people were asked to visit them too.

Sri Lanka: Religious police unit at Buddha Sasana Ministry to stay

“The police unit established to deal with complaints regarding religious issues will stay,” maintained Police Spokesperson SSP Ajith Rohana, refuting the comments made by the Ravana Balaya organization suggesting the possible disbandment of the Police Unit in the near future.The organization led by its General Secretary Ven Ittekande Saddhatissa Thera had also said the unit is now defunct. “The police unit is inactive and is not even receiving any complains,” the Thera said.

Sri Lanka:Ramposha’s Visit Only For Discussions – Minister Wimal Weerawansa

The National Freedom Front (NFF) is opposing any kind of foreign mediation on the national issue. However, the NFF did not consider the visit of the Deputy President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa as’ interference’ as the government has assured them that the visit is confined to mere discussions.

Sri Lanka: Ramaphosa visit: What’s really happening?

Cyril Ramaphosa

Editorial, The Sunday Times

The visit of the Acting President of South African is shrouded in mystery; and the more the Government tries to explain the visit, the more curious it gets.  They say that foreign experts usually rush in to find out and then leave just as quickly before they are found out. Foreign correspondents who come to the ‘Third World’ with pre-conceived notions are nick-named ‘Running Johns’ — or ‘Running Janes’ as the case may be. What can one say then about the visiting South African Acting President Cyril Ramaphosa?

TNA willing to cooperate with South Africa – Suresh Premachandran

Suresh Premachandran

The TNA claimed that foreign delegates including the South African special envoy Cyril Ramaphosa who visited Sri Lanka recently have met the TNA to discuss the Tamil national issue which shows that internationally the TNA is recognised as the representative of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. TNA MP Suresh Premachandran told  that as the elected representatives of the Tamil people, they are willing to cooperate with the South African government if they mediate between the government and the TNA to resolve the Tamil national issue.

Sri Lanka: Writing on the wall for errant INGOs, NGOs - State media

Editorial, The Sunday Observer

Some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and their funding agents in International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) have acted in the most unbecoming manner in Sri Lanka. They even played a sinister role during Sri Lanka's relentless battle against terrorism from 2006 till mid-2009.

UN Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions seeks Sri Lanka visit

Christof Heyns

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Christof Heyns has sought a visit to Sri Lanka.The Special Rapporteur had even last year sought a visit to Sri Lanka but to no avail. Heyns has said that he encourages the Governments of Sri Lanka and a few other countries to accept his pending request for a visit. The Special Rapporteur had recently called on the Sri Lankan authorities to take urgent and firm measures to bring the perpetrators of the killings in Aluthgama to justice and ensure the immediate adoption of robust protective measures.

“We Are Only Sharing South Africa’s Experiences” – Deputy FM Neomal Perera

Neomal Perera

Certain groups within the government including the National Freedom Front (NFF) are strongly opposing South African mediation in Sri Lanka. However, the government carried out a closed door meeting with the South African Special Envoy Cyril Ramaphosa during his recent visit to Sri Lanka and the content of the discussions was not revealed to the public. Nevertheless, the government assures that the intention of the meeting was only to strengthen the bilateral relationship and to share experiences.

Sri Lanka: Bank Accounts of NGOs not registered with MOD are to be closed

Under me - Gotabhaya

New laws to control NGOs

The government is to incorporate new laws to register all not-for-profit or non-profit organizations (NPOs) as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development. The ministry charged that NPOs presently registered under the Sri Lanka Companies Act No. 7 of 2007 are acting out the role of NGOs. Director/Registrar of the National Secretariat for NGOs, D. M. Saman Dissanayake, speaking to Ceylon Today, observed that according to the new Act any organization that does not register with the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development will have their bank accounts closed and obtaining foreign funds will also be expressly forbidden.

The Pope's Visit to Sri Lanka: Buddhiast propose counter measures

Kithu Handa says campaign to undermine Pope’s visitKithu Handa (Voice of the Catholics) – the national movement to protect the Catholic religion asserts the demand made by  Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary, Galagoda Atte Gnanasara for the Pope to apologize to Sri Lankan Buddhists, is part of a plan that is being hatched to disrupt the Pope’s visit to Sri Lanka next year.

A ‘bigger project’ at work to cripple the Sri Lankan Muslim community economically and ‘put them in their place.’

Hakeem at Aluthgama

Not even ‘sufficient remorse’ from Govt for Aluthgama riots says Hakeem

Nearly a month after the worst religious violence Sri Lanka has seen in decades, Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem has warned of a ‘virtual holocaust’ against the country’s Muslim community unless Islamophobia and hate speech by radical monks were nipped in the bud. Minister Hakeem, who also heads the country’s largest Muslim Party, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, told foreign correspondents yesterday that there was a ‘bigger project’ at work to cripple the Sri Lankan Muslim community economically and ‘put them in their place.’

Appoinment of Military Governor: President Rajapaksa broken his promis to CM Vigneshwaran

The Northern Province Chief Minister Vikneswaran is accusing the president for the extension of the Governor Chandrasiri’s term of office as the violation of his assurance ensured by him.

The Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Vikneswaran severely condemned the President for re-installation of the G.A. Chandrasiri as the Governor of Northern Province once again. This he had termed it as the violation of the pledge made by the President.

Sri Lanka: BASL slams MOD circular to NGOs

MOD letterSri Lanka’s leading lawyers collective has slammed the circular issued to Non-Governmental Organisations by the National Secretariat for NGOs, under the Ministry of Defense and Urban Development. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) says the said circular violates fundamental principles that govern Sri Lanka’s free and democratic society, which is guaranteed by the constitution.

Sri Lanka: Enemy at the Gates; Targeting Freedom of Expression

K.D.C.Kumarage

"It is clear that the freedom of expression and opinion is a fundamental right, the mother of all rights." - Abid Hussain, UN Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Information, Speech in Sri Lanka, 1999.

A notice has been issued by one D.M.S, Dissanayake as the director/registrar of the NGO Secretariat in a letterhead of the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development warning the NOGs that they are acting beyond their mandates by conducting press conferences and workshops, training journalists and disseminating press releases.

If the anti-Muslim campaign does not have the backing of the majority of the Sinhalese people, where does the evident power of the BBS come from?

BBS violence ( Vikalpa)

Sri Lankan Muslims at the cross roads – 7 By Izeth Hussain

The focus of the present article and of the previous one is on what the Aluthgama/Beruwela outrages really signify, and what action can be taken by our Muslims to safeguard their lives and their legitimate interests. I concluded my last one by pointing out that the anti-Muslim campaign does not have the backing of the mass of the Sinhalese people. Indeed, the indications are that the majority of the Sinhalese Buddhists view the BBS and other extremist groups with utter disgust.